Smeg Bean to Cup Coffee machine

[Dorkeaux]

I agree with VWDAN. Keep it simple.

Many of my more aspirational mates have built-in bean to cup machines, or big counter-top units.
They are expensive to buy and always going wrong, requiring very expensive repairs. They also require extensive and frequent cleaning, and make a mediocre cup of coffee IMO.

Having a decent burr grinder, either manual or electric is more important than automating the entire bean to cup process.
Hario is a Japanese company that makes inexpensive hand grinders with ceramic burrs. I've had one for many years, it's great.

Those "grinders" with a spinning blade are not good for coffee. They make a combination of chunks and fine dust. Fine for grinding spices, though.

Aeropress is also great, and the individual parts are still replaceable when the plunger rubber or the outer cylinder wears out.
You can rinse off the paper filter disks and reuse them a dozen times, something that would appeal to NUK one would think...

I would say the Aeropress makes a very "clean" cup of coffee. Maybe too clean.. I like those Billetti (sp?) Italian espresso makers that remind me of Russian dolls..

[ladymuck]

I agree with VWDAN. Keep it simple.

Many of my more aspirational mates have built-in bean to cup machines, or big counter-top units.
They are expensive to buy and always going wrong, requiring very expensive repairs. They also require extensive and frequent cleaning, and make a mediocre cup of coffee IMO.

My experience with my DeLonghi is completely the opposite. I've not needed to do anything to it in all the time I've had it, other than clean it. For about £500, it's proved to be a superb investment. Maybe they just don't make them like they used to

HWMBO has a Jura which failed about 5 years ago after around 20 years of heavy daily use. They replaced it with another Jura.

[Dorkeaux]

Interesting, thanks.
Possibly some bad choices were made by my mates, or bad fortune.
But the bean-to-cup machines at my ClientCos are also always crapping out.

Maybe the DeLonghis are more straightforward technology. I like what the Italians do with kitchen gear, Smeg complaints notwithstanding.

500 Squid is a lot of beans, though..

mgrover, induction units for domestic use are usually terrible, not just Smeg.
The stand-alone single-burner hobs from Tefal are passable, but the big problem (aside from reliability) is simmering.
At the lower power levels they just turn on and off to simulate low heat.

Pro cooks love them, but they are rarely simmering anything. Full blast, baby!

[mgrover]

Interesting, thanks.
Possibly some bad choices were made by my mates, or bad fortune.
But the bean-to-cup machines at my ClientCos are also always crapping out.

Maybe the DeLonghis are more straightforward technology. I like what the Italians do with kitchen gear, Smeg complaints notwithstanding.

500 Squid is a lot of beans, though..

mgrover, induction units for domestic use are usually terrible, not just Smeg.
The stand-alone single-burner hobs from Tefal are passable, but the big problem (aside from reliability) is simmering.
At the lower power levels they just turn on and off to simulate low heat.

Pro cooks love them, but they are rarely simmering anything. Full blast, baby!

honestly the smeg range induction has done my nut in.

its problem is the oven when making a roast chicken, water vapour gets into the induction section by design. which wrecks havoc with the electronics from generators to the little pcb.

its soured me on the whole thing tbh

edit:

i have noticed that on the simmering, its not ideal, thankfully place we're buying is gas, am no longer interested in induction.